remain
B2Neutral to formal. Common in all registers but slightly more frequent in written and formal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To continue to exist or be in a particular state, condition, or place when other parts have gone or changed.
To be left over or still to be dealt with; to stay behind or in the same place; to continue to belong to a particular group or category (e.g., 'remain friends').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Verb typically used as a linking verb (copula) with adjectives, nouns, or prepositional phrases to indicate a continuing state. Also used intransitively. It often implies a passive state of continuing, contrasting with active verbs like 'stay' or 'wait'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. Minor variations in collocational frequency in certain domains (e.g., legal/formal).
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. Slightly more formal than 'stay' in everyday contexts.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both BrE and AmE, with a slight edge in BrE in more formal writing (e.g., official communications).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
S-V (intransitive)S-V-C (linking verb + adjective)S-V-C (linking verb + noun phrase)S-V-C (linking verb + prepositional phrase)S-V-Adv (intransitive + adverbial)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the fact remains”
- “remain to be seen”
- “the question remains”
- “remain at large”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports: 'Costs remain high.', 'He will remain as chairman.'
Academic
Used in argumentation: 'Several issues remain unresolved.', 'The data remains inconclusive.'
Everyday
Used in general conversation: 'Please remain seated.', 'I'll remain here.'
Technical
Used in scientific/legal contexts: 'The substance remains stable.', 'All rights remain with the author.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The guests are asked to remain in the lounge.
- It remains a possibility that the match will be cancelled.
- A great deal of work remains to be done.
- He chose to remain anonymous.
American English
- Please remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop.
- The facts remain unchanged by his testimony.
- She will remain CEO through the transition.
- Only the foundation of the house remained.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; no adverbial form)
American English
- (Not standard; no adverbial form)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard; 'remaining' is the participle adjective) The remaining tickets were sold quickly.
American English
- (Not standard; 'remaining' is the participle adjective) She spent her remaining years in peace.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please remain quiet.
- My family will remain at home.
- The shop will remain open until 8 pm.
- The main problem remains unsolved.
- She remained calm during the crisis.
- If you remain in the UK for more than six months, you need a visa.
- Despite the evidence, he remained convinced of his innocence.
- The fundamental question of funding remains to be addressed.
- The risk of infection remains significant in crowded areas.
- The treaty remains in force irrespective of the recent political upheavals.
- His later novels never quite achieved the acclaim that his early works still enjoy; his status as a writer of genius, however, remains unassailable.
- The committee's findings remain contentious among scholars.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'RE' (again) + 'MAIN' (the most important part). The main part stays again and again.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTINUING EXISTENCE IS BEING LEFT BEHIND (e.g., 'Only ruins remain.'); STABILITY IS REMAINING UNCHANGED (e.g., 'Prices remain fixed.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'оставаться' in active waiting contexts. 'Remain' is more stative. Avoid using 'remain' for short-term waiting ('подожди'), use 'stay' or 'wait'.
- The phrase 'remain friends' is a set collocation. Direct translation 'оставаться друзьями' works, but the English structure is fixed (verb + noun).
- Be careful with perfect tenses: 'has remained' = 'оставался/оставалась' up to now, not a one-time past action.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'remain' with a direct object incorrectly (e.g., 'I remained the book' – WRONG). It is not a transitive verb in this sense.
- Overusing 'remain' in informal speech where 'stay' is more natural (e.g., 'I'll stay here' vs. 'I'll remain here').
- Confusing 'remain' and 'remind' in spelling/pronunciation.
- Incorrect preposition: 'remain on the house' (wrong for 'in the house').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'remain' used INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Remain' is often more formal and stative, emphasizing the continuation of a state or condition. 'Stay' is more common in everyday speech and can imply a deliberate action (e.g., 'I decided to stay'). They are often interchangeable, but 'stay' is preferred for temporary lodging ('stay in a hotel') and 'remain' for abstract persistence ('doubt remains').
Primarily intransitive or a linking verb. It does not take a direct object. It is followed by a complement (adjective, noun, prepositional phrase) or an adverbial. You cannot 'remain something' in the sense of keeping/leaving an object somewhere; that would require 'leave'.
Yes, but less commonly because it describes a state. It is used in the progressive to emphasize the ongoing, temporary nature of the state (e.g., 'The situation is remaining stable for now'). The simple present ('remains') is more typical for permanent or general states.
The primary noun is 'remainder' (what is left over). 'Remains' (plural noun) refers to what is left after decay/destruction (e.g., ancient remains, mortal remains) or to a literary work left unpublished at death.